The Art of Living
by littlemissbad
Summary: Takes place following 'The Power of Two'. Prue is faced with a life changing complication. Prue/Andy, Piper/Leo


A/N: Please note this takes place following 'The Power of Two' in Season One. Reviews are appreciated.

CHAPTER ONE

The clock chimed signifying that the thirteenth hour had arrived and while most employees of Buckland's Auction House were beginning to enjoy their carefully selected lunch sized entrees, Prudence Halliwell was having difficulty in the prevention of tasting her lunch for a second time. Her icy blue eyes were shielded by her dainty hands gripping her forehead in an attempt to stabilize her stomach; however, it was no use. She had been feeling terrible for the past few days and it seemed the atrocious feeling would continue to overstay its welcome.

Naturally, her sisters were not in the least surprised with their workaholic sister's current predicament. Prue had been overworking herself for the past month and half as she attempted to secure a valuable client for Buckland's. Unsurprisingly, Prue had not taken her sisters' advice to slow down and now she was burdened with an unwelcome illness which was making her current task of cataloguing a beautiful watercolour painting from the Renaissance period rather difficult. While Prue was irritated herself with the inconvenience caused by her unfortunate state of well-being, her superior, the Nazi boss, Claire, was more irritated as Prue's various escapes to the restroom, particularly when meeting with clients, spoke rather negatively of Claire and Buckland's alike. Prue, ironically, sympathised with the obvious descendent of Adolf Hitler, as Prue, too, would have found great irritation had her employee also made multiple visits to the restroom during unfavourable moments. Unfortunately for Prue, and Claire, she wasn't sure how to resolve her predicament.

Prue glanced at the framed photograph of her and her recent ex-boyfriend Andy Turdeau. The two appeared so blissful in the photograph and although Prue had moved on, immediately following Andy's reaction to Prue's secret, she still enjoyed reminiscing over the joyful moments they had shared together. At many moments in her life, she had assumed Andy would someday become her husband, but the truth was, Prue had become a different person that Andy was not able to remain romantic with. Their friendship remained, but Prue continued to ponder what their life may have been had their relationship not ended on such finality.

Prue continued to work for another few hours, considering she had a lot of items to catalogue and a shortened period of time to do so. Various excursions to the restroom were made within that period of times as Prue simply could not keep anything solid within her stomach, not to mention her recently acquired sensitive bladder. Naturally, when the clock chimed five o'clock, Prue simply could not bear to stay another minute past. Of course her life would not maintain any sense of normality if she didn't receive a call from a certain needy Halliwell just as she was about to leave the building.

"Prue Halliwell," Prue answered, her voice tired and groggy.

"Hey Prue, it's Phoebe." _Could've guessed that_, thought Prue.

"What's up Phoebs?" she asked, her voice even more apparent with fatigue as her hand once again gripped her forehead.

"Ooh, Prue, you don't sound good." Prue sighed with irritation. Phoebe was infamous for stating the obvious which always irritated Prue. Over the past year, she had learned to suppress this irritation, yet at that exact moment, her irritation was anything but suppressed.

"Thank you for pointing out the obvious, Phoebe," Prue snarled.

"Long day at work, Prue?" Phoebe snarled back, feeling rather irritated with the fact that she had offered her sister sympathy and Prue had merely rudely retorted.

"Yes Phoebe. A very long day. Look, are you going to the market sometime before I get home?"

"Yeah, that's actually what I was calling about. I'm here now, do you need any tampons?" Prue thought for a moment but unfortunately her attempts to ponder the question asked by her youngest sister were defeated by another thought.

"Uh...can you actually pick me up some potato salad?"

"You hate potato salad..." Phoebe commented with great confusion. Prue furrowed her brows at Phoebe's remark.

"Do I? Well I love it now. If you're short on cash-"

"I'm not 'short on cash'," Phoebe defended angrily, "when are you coming home anyway?"

"I'm just about ready to leave," Prue answered whilst shuffling a pile of papers and removing her glasses.

"Piper is making dinner..." Phoebe said, the confusion returning to her voice.

"Is she making potato salad?" Prue asked smartly.

"No, you hate potato salad."

"Well Phoebe, I like it now so there better be some potato salad in the refrigerator when I arrive home. Goodbye." Prue hastily hung up the phone then decided to use the restroom before she left the auction house as it was a fairly safe bet she would otherwise desperately need to use it while driving. Her sensitive bladder had certainly proven her correct as nearly forty minutes later, she again needed to use the restroom upon arriving at the antique manor. "Phoebe, are you home? " she called upon opening the beautiful stained glass front door.

"I'm in the kitchen!" Phoebe called. Prue laid her hand bag and keys in their respective places on the desk in the parlour and made her way towards her sister in the kitchen. "Your potato salad is in the refrigerator," Phoebe remarked upon Prue's entrance into the kitchen. Prue immediately advanced toward the refrigerator and removed the container of heavily packed potato salad. She retrieved a fork from the drawer and began filling her mouth with the deliciously rich potato salad. Phoebe stared at her sister with wonder.

"Phoebe, what are you staring at?" Prue asked defensively, her mouth full of potato salad. Phoebe smirked.

"Uh, well, you actually. Are you alright Prue?" she asked. Prue shovelled another mouthful of potato salad into her seemingly petite mouth.

"Well, I've been in the restroom today more than I have been in my entire life, but yes, I'm fine." She smiled and continued eating.

"Prue are you...?" Phoebe trailed off, almost afraid to finish her sentence.

"Am I what, Phoebe? I'm fine," Prue snapped and continued eating. Phoebe smirked again.

"Well, it's just you haven't eaten potato salad since you were eleven and Grams admitted to her secret ingredient."

"How do you even remember that?" Prue asked with wonder since Phoebe would have been only four at the time.

"Oh, maybe because you projectile vomited all over Grams immediately following her confession. It's quite memorable to a four year old. Anyway, my point is that you are eating potato salad spontaneously after fifteen years and...you don't need tampons..." Phoebe again trailed off hoping that her sister would be able to put the pieces together without Phoebe having to voice her speculation. Prue stopped eating.

"Wait, are you implying that...hold that thought," Prue said holding up a finger to indicate a pause before running for the bathroom. Phoebe trailed behind slowly, her face clearly full of glee for seeming to have proven her point. When she arrived at the bathroom, where Prue was positioned overtop the toilet, she handed Prue a rectangular box. "Phoebe, I'm not pregnant. I'm just sick," Prue stated firmly. Phoebe nodded with a giant smile on her face.

"Okay Prue, I believe you. That's why this test will surely come out negative, right?" Phoebe rattled the box mockingly. Prue merely glared.

"Phoebe, it's not even possible for me to be pregnant. I haven't slept with anybody since-"

"Andy. I know. Look, I'm not accusing you of anything. Maybe you are just sick, but isn't it better safe than sorry?" Prue continued her stone cold glare with piercing frustration. "I'll be in my room," Phoebe replied, seeing the situation as a lost cause. She supportively brushed Prue's shoulder and walked down the hall to where her bedroom was locating whilst leaving Prue to herself. Prue took the box in her hands and sighed deeply; there really was no way around it. She had to take the test if only to prove a point. Unfortunately for Prue, her astounding abilities to prove herself correct were not always guaranteed.


End file.
